Meet Edel Kavanagh, Deputy General Manager & IHI Award Nominee

Recently appointed Deputy General Manger at Cork International Hotel, Edel Kavanagh has risen quickly through the ranks in her hospitality management career thanks to her passion and persistence for perfection. Edel is a finalist in the ‘Young Hospitality Manager of the Year’ category at this year’s Irish Hospitality Institute Hospitality Management Awards which take place on 24th November 2022. 

We caught up with Edel to find out more about her hospitality journey in advance of the awards.

How did you begin your career in hospitality?

I started working with a catering company during college in Dublin and I really enjoyed the pace and excitement with F&B work. I later got a job in a hotel during that summer as a F&B assistant in a hotel, and I just loved it. I continued to work there throughout college, coming home every week to work weddings and different functions. They asked me to do reception for the following Summer, and I ended up just falling in love with the industry and decided to leave college to pursue a career in hospitality, knowing I had found my passion.

 

What advice would you share with women who are at the start of their hospitality careers and aspire to reach a senior position?

You only get out what you put in- give loyalty,  give people respect, give the best of yourself. You’ll get that back, your managers, your peers, they’ll see that and will want to help you achieve your goals and will ensure you get the tools to develop.

 

What has inspired you to get to where you are today?

I’ve always been inspired by the work ethic of my parents, they always encouraged me to do my best in whatever I do. I’m also very competitive and I want to be part of a winning team. To me, I’ve been motivated to keep progressing in different roles as I want to have a bigger role in setting the goals and driving us to the finish line. .

 

What do you enjoy about your job?

I love the pace, there is always something happening and always something new to learn. I enjoy that I am not restricted to one set of jobs or tasks, but encouraged to pursue my passions, like customer service and sustainability. I love the chance to develop and have a hand in developing others.

 

Where do you see yourself in your career in 5 years time?